Free By Way of the Rose by Cynthia Ward Weil Page B

her?”
    “Cora came after us. We thought she was a deer and Nathan got her in the arm. Why did you let her come after us, Marion? Why?”
    “I didn't! She was supposed to be in the yard playing with her slingshot. I don't understand this? How did she get to where y'all were?”
    “I'm sorry, Momma. I wanted to hunt.” Cora cried. “I slipped off and went to find them.”
    “Hush now, it's all right. I should have suspected it. I know you don't give up when it's something you want. I shouldn't have let you go out.”
    The doctor, arriving soon thereafter, dressed her arm. “Cora, you were a mighty lucky little lady. I hope you've learned your lesson. It's important to listen to your folks.”
    “Yes, Sir.” She smiled. Though Cora seemed very proud of her ‘hunting wound,’ no one else was the least bit pleased. Had Daniel and Marion not been so grateful that she wasn't killed, they would have severely punished her for going against their orders.
    “If you ever go near those woods again without permission, you won't be able to sit down for a week, I promise you that!” Daniel told her.

Chapter Six

    * * * *
    John and Doug were well into the network of what they called freedom fighting. They were taking runaway slaves to a point on Lake Erie where they would cross over into Canada. Mr. Tyson compensated them well for their work. He also gave John a job at his paper, The Freedom Gazette , an anti-slavery publication. John was so good with words that Mr. Tyson made him an editor. John loved the job and was making good money. But he tried to keep his involvement in this work quiet. He knew how feelings ran about such things back home, so he would never let his friends or family know about his jobs.
    It came to the freedom fighters attention that many of the southern states had barred anti-slavery papers such as The Freedom Gazette . Many folks, mostly rich slave owners, hated everyone associated with this movement. They saw it as a threat to their very existence. It would do away with everything they had worked for. All would be lost if these people pushed through their agenda of freeing the slaves. “What's next?” they cried. “Do we free our horses and cows too? We bought and paid for our stock, our workers, our land and our homes! They belong to us!”
    “I know you have tried to keep your involvement in this work quiet because of your folks in the South.” Mr. Tyson said to John one day. “But you do consider yourself an abolitionist, do you not? You wouldn't turn your back on me, would you?”
    “No, Sir. I never would do such a thing. I truly believe in what you do here. It is a noble and just cause and I'm glad to be a part of it. I hate slavery and what it does to everyone. I'd like nothing better than to see the end of it forever. Not just for the slaves, but also for the poor white people who can't find work because anyone who can afford to pay a man for a day's work, just buys a slave. Those who aren't rich struggle just to survive.”
    “Well, they won't accept our publication down there. You have a chance to do a mighty work. You're an educated man and I believe you can do more with that education to help us. Perhaps the Southerners would listen to one of their own.”
    “Excuse me, Sir. But I was never one of the plantation owners’ own . Me and my family were what their slaves referred to as ‘poor trash'. We didn't have jobs nor much of anything because of slavery. I grew up in soddies, deserted shanties, dugouts in hillsides and wagons until we settled in Tennessee and Poppa saved enough to buy a plot of land and built our small cabin.”
    “Are you saying the slaves should be grateful to have these plantation jobs ?”
    “I don't mean to lessen their plight. It's horrible to be owned by another man. I'm just saying there are more reasons than one to abolish slavery. It's bad for everyone, all the way around. As my Poppa said... it's a blight on America.”
    “You have as much passion